Automatic railroad crossing gate



Nov. 17,-1931. A. MIMMs AUTOMATIC RAILROAD CROSSING GATE Filed Sept. 18, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l In venor jip/202230 .Mi/2z www A Homey CSI-:11-

Nov. 17, 1931. v A, MlMMs u 1,832,232

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD CROSSING GATE Filed Sept. 18, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 In ven for ii/vlaams@ M Z'iwns'nf By @Mw/32% Nov. 17, 1931. A, MIMMS 1,832,232

l AUTOMATIC RAILROAD CROSSING GATE Filed Sept. 18, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Z/J/zoizw J'innz 6' A orney NOV. 17, 1931. v A, MlMMS 1,832,232

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD CROSSING GATE Filed Sept. 18.l 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 y @am @62m A orney No?. 17, 1931. A. MIMMs 1,832,232

* AUTOMATIC RAILROAD CROSSING GATE Filed Sept. 18. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 s nvenor SX gil/:271027,50 Jfzfm uw' V i A Byzmmh .4 ftorney patented Non'. 189 131 PATENT ALPHONSOAIMIMMS, F WASHINGTON, DISTRICT 0F COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR 0F FIFTEEN PEE CMT T0 LAWRENCE E. MURRAY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AUTOMATIC RAILROAD CROSSING GATE l Application led September 18, 1929. Serial No. 393,475.

rlhe present invention appertains to new and useful improvements in railroad crossing gates and more vparticularly to a gate capable of being actuated through the agency of automatic means.

' rlhe principal object of the invention is to provide an electrically operable crossing gate, the circuit of which inc ludes the rails of the trackway, and this without in any way interfering with the usual block signal system.

Another important object of the'invention is to provide an automatic railroad gate of the semaphore type in combination with a signal light and sound producingl means ra' which ope-rate during the movement of the gate to road obstructingposition.

These and various other important objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent to theY reader after considerae ing the invention as described and claimed hereinafter.

ln the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a si-de elevation of the novel double gate structure at one side of as the trackway. v

Figure 2 represents a top plan view of a trackway and the gate at the opposite sides of the trackway in operative position with respect to the roadway.

so Figure 3 represents a partial vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 3--3 of Figure 2. o

Figure 4 represents a diagrammatic view disclosing the system for operating one double gate at one side of the trackway.

Figure 5 represents a vertical transverse sectional view of the automatic switch and gate operating means.

Figure 6 represents a vertical transverse sectional view through the gear housing for operating one of the semaphore arms.

` Figure 7 represents a fragmentary and partial sectional view of one of the semaphore arms. et Figure 8 represents a fragmentary and partial sectional view looking at one of the semaphore arms at a point at rlght angles with respect to the view shown in Figure 2. Fi re 9 represents a cross sectional view a@ through the jointe-d semaphore arm.

Figure l0 represents a cross sectional view through the conduit and shaft therein leading from the switch housing shown in Figend of the gate block by means of con-- nectors 7 It will also be observed that vnumerals 8 and 9 each represent current supply lines. In Figure 4, there is also shown a pair of relays denoted by A and B. Each of these relays inclndesa coil 10 for attracting the armature 11. On each armature contacts 12 and 13 are secured while in opposed relation with respect to these contacts are contacts 14 and 15. The armature 11 normally contacts with a member 16, as is apparent in Figure 4. A battery 17 has one side connected by way of the wire 18 to the rail section 19 while its oppositeside has a lead 20 extending to one side of the coil 10 of the relay H.

`The opposite side of the relay 10 is connected by waynof the conductor 21 to the railsection 22. A spring 23 serves to normally maintain the armature 6 away from the coil 10. A wire 24 extends from the positive side of the current supply 9 and connects to a contact on the armature 11, which contact normally engages the contact 16. rlhis contact 16 has a wire 25 leading therefrom.

A conductor 26 extending from the positive side of the current supply 8 connects to the contact l5 and the opposed contact 13 on the armature 11 is connected by way of the wire 27 to the aforementioned rail section 19. A conductor 28 extends from the Contact 14, while the opposite contact 12 is connected by way of the conductor 29 to the aforementioned wire 24.

The relay B has a wire 24 extending from the negative side of the supply line 9 to a contact on the armature 1l while the opposing contact 16 has a lead 25 extending therefrom. A connection 29 is made between the( wire 24 and the contact 12 while the opposing contact 14 has a connect-ion 28. The conductor 26 is connected at one end to the rail section 22 while its opposite end connects to the contact 15, while the opposite contact 13 is connected by way of the wire 30 with the negative side of the current supply 8.

One side of the coil 10 of relay B is connected to the rail section 22 by means of the conductor 21 while its other side is connected f by way ofthe element 31 to the positive side yao of the battery 17.

in Figure 4, a shaft 32 is shown and this shaft serves to operate a pair of semaphore arms, one at each side of the trackway. In. order to manipulate a pair of these semaphore arms at each side of the trackway, duplicate" mechanism must be provided and to accommodate this duplicate mechanism, short leads are shown extending from various wires of the system.

Secured to an intermediate portion of this shaft 32 is a double pulley or roll 33having a pair of circumferential grooves thereon. Adapted to be wound in one groove is a flexible strand or cable 34, while adapted to be wound in the other groove is a second strand or-cable 35. The reversing switches are de'-` noted generally by C and D., Each of these' switches includes a pair of arms 36-36 normally urged inwardly toward each other and against the stops 37 by means Vofsprings 38.

lA wedge-shaped switch element`39 is secured'` to the free end of each of the aforementioned cables. A gear 40 on the shaft 32 is in mesh wit-h a worm 41 on the common armature shaft 42 extending between the motors 43 and 44. A connection 45 is made between one of the arms 36 of the switch D and one side of the motor 44, while the opposite side of the motor 44 has a connection 46 to the opposite or complementary?.I arm 36. The switch D has one of its jaa-ins 36 connected to one side of the motor 43through the agency of a wire 47 while the opposite side of the p motor`43 is connected to the complementary arm 36 of the switch C, through the conductor 48.

`When the switchelement 39 of the switch D separates the arms 36, they contactwitl the elements 49, one of which is connected to the conductor 28, while the otheris connected to the conductor 28. When the switch element 39 of the switch C causes the arms 36 to engage the elements 49, a circuit is completed which involves thewires 25 and 25. A bell and lamp 50 and 51 respectively are connected in series with the switch D. A

As is clearly shown in Figure 3, the shaft nssaaaa 32 is journalled through a housing v52 sunk within the ground in the manner clearly shown in Figure 3. This housing is provided with a removable top 53 and a shell for a bracket 5 4 supports the aforementioned motors 43 and 44; The contact 49, arms 36 and other features of the switches C and D are mounted on panel boards 55 located within the said housing 52. H y

Extending away from the housing 52 in opposite directions are the conduit sections 56-56. Each conduit section passes beneath one trackway and communica-tes with an elongated upstanding housing 57 extending upwardly above the surface of the ground for a substantial height. As is clearly shown in Figure 6, the adjacent end of the shaft 32 is journalled through the lower portion of .the

housing 57 and carries a'sprocket wheel 58, while a short shaft 59 is journalled through the 'upper portion ofthe housing and projects at one end through one side of the housing for supporting the section 60 of the corressponding semaphore arm 69.

A sprocket chain 61 is trained over the sprocket 58 and 62, the last mentioned' sprocket being keyed to the aforementioned shaft 59. As is clearly shown in Figure 6, some form of closure 63 is provided vat one side of the housing to permit access to the interior thereof. At another side of the housing is secured a casing 64\for enclosing one of the aforementioned bells 50, the casing being proy vided with suitable sound emanating openings 65.

The semaphore section 60 is connected at an intermediate point to the said short shaft 59 and at one end carries the usual counter- 'balancing weight 66.

As is clearly disclosed in Figures 7 and 8, the4 section 60 of the semaphore lis provided with a sectionalsocket 67 at its outer end for receiving the ball head 68 of an extending section 69. To maintain this section 69 in a longitudinally extending position and yet 70) carries a hemispherical shaped enlargement 73 which is normally maintained tenlsiQonally against the section 69 by the spring It will be seen that as the train enters the gate block of the trackway, the switch D will be closed and the motor 44 being energized will rotate the shaft 32 in a direction to swing departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: f

l. A railroad crossing gate comprising an arm formed of two sections, a universal joint connecting the sections together, a supporting member connected with one section, a plurality of levers hinged to the supporting member. and having curved parts engaging the sides of the other section and sprlng means for normally holding the levers with their curved parts against said other section.

2. A railroad crossing gate comprising an arm formed of two sections," a universal joint connecting the sections together, 'a casing attached to one secti-on and having its open end extending beyond the joint, four levers pivot-ed in the casing adjacent the open end thereof and having semi-circular portions at their outer ends each of which engages a side of the other section, and a spring connected to the inner end of each lever and to the closed end of the casing for normally holding the levers with their curved portions against the other section.

In testimony ivhereof I aiiix my signature.

, ALPHONSO MIMMS. 

